Being a European makes - European Economic and Social ... · conversations between people preparing for a trade union youth weekend. ... It is crucial to communicate your strategy

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Being a European makes

me feel as though I am

part of a very important

ongoing conversation.

Dilem KoyluogluUnion secretary and Committed European

I believe that Europe has a lot

of work to do if it is to remain

a sanctuary where no one is

threatened by another way

of thinking.

Vítor MelíciasPresident of the União das Misericórdias Portuguesas

< Vítor Melícias and Xeigue Muni Dilem Koyluoglu >

European Economic and Social Committee

Living Europe

Living Europe

Living EuropeDialogue with civil society

ForewordI have always liked the bridge metaphor for the

European Economic and Social Committee’s

activities. It is our daily work to build bridges - both

inside and outside the institution. The important thing

is to remember that this is an inter-active process: we

cannot rely on a one-way street. Any bridge needs firm

pillars at both ends and two directions in which to go.

Anne-Marie Sigmund

President of the European Economic and Social

Committee in Brussels

Anne-Marie Sigmund

1 |

Carl Cordonnier and I have been commissioned by the European Economic

and Social Committee to interview and photograph one representative

of organised civil society in each of the Member State countries of

Europe, as well as the accession countries of Bulgaria and Romania.

We are to reflect the metaphorical bridges people are making in their

organisations, and to show the importance of civil society action in

Europe.

We have suggested to Anne-Marie Sigmund, the President of the European

Economic and Social Committee, that the publication should have its

own rhythm and pace and that it should travel through themes and ideas;

people and experiences; diversities and commonalities.

We decided that, rather than being separated by country or nationality,

it should be the bridges of shared understanding that characterise

this publication and give it its identity.

Luckily, Anne-Marie Sigmund agreed.

Sometimes we will have a pause; time to take a breath.

On other pages, we will try to find bridges, which have been constructed

to bring together diverse opinions and experiences.

Sometimes these thoughts will be echoed in the presentation of physical

bridges from different cities, towns, and countries.

At times, the organisation will be introduced by one person, through

their profile; at times their words and faces will simply be part of a

wider European conversation.

Our task is thus to create a fluid dialogue on each page, which at all

times reminds the reader of the extraordinary diversity of Europe and

the importance of civil society action.

We have eight weeks to complete the project. Antonia Kuehnel will

research the participants to take part in this project. Laurine Herreman

will be our coordinator. We feel like Phileas Fogg and Passepartout in

the Jules Verne novel ‘Around the World in 80 days.’ We are to travel

around Europe in 60 days, but it is important to note that they didn’t

have to take photographs and make interviews!

Penny Rae

Early morning April 17th 2006

DiaryDiary

My professional career has always

been influenced by the social and

political climate of the time. Whichever

‘moment in time’ I have found myself

in has shaped the professional choices

I have made and the organisations to

which I have aligned myself.

Nicole Notat

Chairman of the Vigeo Group

5 |

Tastes and scents of

EuropePresidents of the European Economic and Social Committee:

Roger Briesch (2002 - 2004)

Anne-Marie Sigmund (2004-2006)

Dimitrios N. Dimitriadis (2006-2008)

7 |

People are beginning to accept that a new Europe

needs a new recipe — one that builds on all the good

ingredients but adds new flavour.

Christos Polyzogopolous

President of the General Federation of Greek Workers

Vincent Galea

9 |

We had been negotiating all day and I suggested carrying on during the evening at Paliokamira.

There were no phones up there and the lighting was dependent on the solar system. We ended up talking by

candlelight into the night and yes, as dawn broke, an agreement was reached. So perhaps there is more to tending

roses and jasmine than there first appears to be.

Michael Ioannou

Former General Secretary of the Cyprus Building Workers Confederation

I remember the day I arrived in Paris as though it were yesterday.

It was sunny and there was a light wind. I walked down a narrow street at the end of the day and I could smell

perfume in the air. At that time, you didn’t often smell perfume in the air in Riga.

It was my first professional trip to another European country.

The conference was about trauma. I was working as a neurosurgeon and this was all about creating a management

framework to meet the needs of the patient. It opened my mind to the way I perceived my role in relation to a

wider body of people working on managing patients’ needs.

Valdis Keris

Chairman of the Trade Union of Health and Social Care Employees of Latvia

11 |

Depending on which way the wind is blowing, I

open my office window to start the day with the

smell of herbs or chocolate. If I smell chocolate, it

will rain with the wind coming from the North.

Guiseppe D’Avino

Managing director at Liquore Strega

13 |

When I come onto the factory floor and I smell the steel

and feel the heat, it makes me feel as though I am really

part of the organisation.

Mavizna Malcekovz

Employee at Železiarné Podbrezová

15 |

Offeringcompetition

a human face

In Italy, we lived as members of the Strega

family for 24 hours. We ate with the family,

we drank with the family, both in Benevento

and in Rome and we left laden with chocolates.

In Bulgaria, we were met at the airport by our

host, who had already thoughtfully changed

money for us, negotiated the best price for

our hotel and continued for 24 hours to feed

us; hired a car to make our journeys easier

and despite suffering from flu, to introduce

us to as many of her ‘bridges’ as possible.

In Romania, we arrived late and tired to find a

hot meal waiting for us before our interview.

In Portugal, during 24 hours of trying to keep

up with our host’s daily bridge-building, we

were taken to his favourite restaurant and

afterwards presented with a book of recipes

by the chef. In Spain, our tortilla lunch was

brought in specially to give us more time

to meet people on our whistle-stop day in

Madrid.

In Finland, we were given homemade soup and

black bread and introduced to all the family

members. In Slovenia, our host invited us to

eat at an outside café on a warm and sunny

afternoon, where we met young Slovenian

entrepreneurs. In Germany, we were invited to

the employees’ canteen and listened to animated

conversations between people preparing for a

trade union youth weekend. In Cyprus, we were

taken to eat in the countryside on the way to

our host’s village, where we heard stories

of previous employer-union negotiations. In

Poland, we shared the organic vegetable soup

and bread made on the farm with the school

children who were visiting for the day, and

in Estonia our host insisted on providing us

with lunch before he rushed off to the airport

to speak at a conference in Finland.

Diary 17 |

I remember the first trade fair we went to in Germany. We

came back without having sold a single thing. We were

determined to improve our designs, our colours and our

style of presentation. The following year we went back and

the company took off on the European market.

Giving up was never an option for us. 200 families were

dependant on our making the company a success. 70% of

our employees have been with us for over 10 years and we

firmly believe that our employees are our future. I believe

that family owned and managed companies have a great

sense of personal and professional responsibility towards

their employees.

Jiří Grund

Sales Director, GRUND A.S.

The Grund family with employees

19 |

Our company employs 7000 people and has a turn-

over of approximately 1.3 billion Euros. But primarily it

is a family business, and families that own and manage

large companies have particular responsibilities.

Karlheinz Essl

Chairman of the Supervisory Board, bauMax

21 |

Karlheinz Essl with bauMax employeeKarlheinz Essl with bauMax customer

Eastern Europe is a major focus for our company and for

our art collection. We have bauMax stores in the Czech

Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia, and

we are expanding into Romania and Bulgaria. Parallel

to our business interests in these countries, we have

policies of corporate social responsibility and we have

a policy of art collection and of providing specific

support to young artists from these countries. When I

read negative newspaper headlines highlighting issues

to do with foreigners, immigrants, different cultures or

religions, I realise that we can only live together if we

understand each other. I believe that art offers a unique

bond and a level of communication that transcends all

borders. People who believe in the importance of art

are bound together. It makes no difference whether

they are Muslim, Christian or Jewish. There is a common

language.

We live and work in an environment of competition.

It is a creative challenge to see how you can maintain

and develop your business. I always try to focus on the

customer. The customer always has the choice to come

to you or to go to someone else. We have to provide

good products, good prices and good service. A beautiful

environment in which to work and to shop is also very

important. In our research we have found out that

women spend an average of one hour and 20 minutes in

our stores, whilst men only stay for half an hour.

Firstly you have to motivate your own employees. We

have a staff of 7000, and if 7000 people understand

one idea and accept the concept and philosophy of

what you are trying to achieve, then everything works.

If not, nothing works. It is crucial to communicate your

strategy to your employees and not just presume they

understand what you are thinking.

Karlheinz ESSL


23 |

Employees at Liquore StregaI research new products and ways of always trying to

improve what we do. I feel a respect for my work from

the company and I try to give back everything I feel from

my employers. I see myself as a citizen of the world. I am

a scientist, so I understand the importance of sharing

knowledge and new discoveries.

Napoleone Gismondo

Employee at Liquore Strega

25 |

My husband has now found a good job in Romania, so if

I am able to find a job, I will go back too. There is more

chance now of finding a job back in Romania. I am very

happy that Romania will join the European Union. It is a

great opportunity for Romania to develop in the same

way as other countries. There are seven Romanians on this

production line. People are frightened of foreign workers

taking jobs but most of the time we are doing the jobs that

have not been filled because local people don’t want to do

them. Perhaps one day people will go to live in Romania to

find jobs. I wonder what employers will do without foreign

labour.

Manuela Iorga

Employee at Pancyprian Co. of Bakers Ltd.

27 |

When I went into the ZP steel plant in Slovakia

today, employees were explaining the workings

of the massive equipment to me as though it

were a kind of human being, a member of the

family in whom they took great pride. The

heat, the noise and the steam pervaded every

sense as we were shown around the plant. I

was left with a picture in my mind of a man

called Jeraz Kutliak, who had been working on

the piercing press for 37 years. His job was

to add graphite before the steel is pierced.

If he miscalculated the quantity of graphite

and the timing, the quality of the steel tube

would be affected. Whilst he was talking to

us, his eyes never strayed from the huge

machine in front of him.

Jeraz Kutliak

Within Železiarné Podbrezová

Diary

Success is just as often about opportunity

and privilege as it is about skills and

creativity.

Of course there are notable exceptions,

but I believe that there are many people,

for example, on our production line, who if

they had been given the opportunity and

resources my brother and I have been given

by our parents, would also be running their

own companies. My parents started this

business from home and built it up for us

to develop on the European market. A firm

foothold in the European market will be the

way into a wider international market.

Jiří Grund

Sales Director, GRUND A.S.

31 |

There is a new business climate in Romania. Companies

are working very hard to develop a climate of

transparency and accountability. 2005 saw a huge

expansion of inward investment. I think this was largely

due to our imminent accession to the European Union. I

believe wholeheartedly that Romania will give to Europe

as much as it receives.

Virgil Popescu

Sole Administrator, Aectra Agrochemicals S.A.

33 |

Attitudes towards the European Union are

heavily influenced by the way Europe is framed

within national cultures. I think the majority of

Irish citizens accept and appreciate the increased

prosperity that has come from European Union

membership. It would be good to believe that

some countries are at the end of a period of Euro-

pessimism. Now it is time to put our energy into

confidence building, increasing competition and

working to build the dynamism of a European

economy.

Michael O’Connell

Partner of M.J. Horgan & Sons

Chairman of the Triskel Arts Centre

35 |

I think there is an increasingly grey area between the role of the trade union and the

corporate social responsibility of a company. For example, this year was the first time the

Slovakian Humanitarian Council presented its annual prize to a company and not to an

individual.

I like to think that companies such as ZP are aware of their social responsibility, not just

for the short-term economic returns of their own companies but for the long-term

revitalisation of Slovakia. The more we invest in our employees, the greater the return. It

is an economic as well as a social argument.

Vladimír Soták

Chairman of the Board of Directors, C.E.O., Železiarné Podbrezová

37 |

39 |

There have been no real changes for us since joining Europe. Although Joannou &

Paraskevaides Ltd. is a Cypriot company, we have always had international contracts and

so we have always adhered to international rules on competition. We have 500 full time

employees in Cyprus and 20.000 across the world. This company is Cypriot owned. It was

founded in the early 1960s and expanded very quickly.

The only way to visualise a problem is to look at it as a whole, as a concept; I have to go

to the top of the crane every month and only then I can identify the mistakes.

Gregoris Antoniades

Civil Engineer, Joannou & Paraskevaides Ltd.

Gregoris Antoniades

41 |

Shaping a new European

landscape

43 |

At the conference in Athens where I was presenting a

paper, I felt ready for the first time to deliver arguments

we had developed in Latvia that were considered and

based on our experiences.

Even if you are recognised as an equal in professional

terms, it is something else to discuss the results of

your research with European colleagues. We used

to be seen as the new kids on the block. I believe we

are now valued as equal and in some areas specialist

colleagues.

Valdis Keris

Chairman, Trade Union of Health

and Social Care Employees of Latvia

45 |

It sometimes feels at this time of

enlargement in Europe as though

Europe is centralising at the same time

as Britain is decentralising. I am very

happy to think that this generation

and future generations of Europeans

will be sitting around a table to work

out differences rather than going to

war. My concern is that the larger

Europe grows, the more complex it will

be to manage, but at the same time,

the expansion of Europe is essential

if we are still to have a voice in global

politics.

Ralph Newman

Farmer

47 |

The new Member States are moving so quickly towards democratic reform, accountability, economic growth and

intellectual capacity-building that it can only be good for Europe.

The Danish Federation of Industries commissioned a study, which highlighted the positive long- term economic

and social benefits of enlargement for all European Member States.

It is important to remember that many of the Central and Eastern European countries have gone from a post-

communist void to EU membership in less than 10 years. But, of course, there is still a long road to travel.

Not only have many jobs been created in Central and Eastern Europe; countries from Western Europe have also

been able to stay competitive in the face of global competition.

Citizens, companies and politicians throughout Europe must be even more aware, at this crucial time of European

structural change, of their responsibilities for creating the best possible platform for growth and development.

Hans Skov Christensen

Director General of the Confederation of Danish Industries | Dansk IndustriHans Skov

Christensen

49 |

Everything has been rebuilt in Romania

very quickly. We have to hope that the

foundations are strong enough to

support those changes.

I have seen the most changes in the

last 8 years. The country has become

internationalised. You drive down

the street and see foreign names on

company buildings, you have lunch

in an Italian restaurant, and you hear

English and French spoken in shops

and cafes. Many young Romanians are

studying abroad.

I think enlargement and acceptance

of Romania as a candidate country

for accession offered recognition of

these changes and the efforts being

made. I think there is a new middle

class, a professional class emerging

in Romania. It is no longer a country

where there is an elite and there are

workers. All of those definitions are

becoming irrelevant.

Anca Simon

Executive Director of the Romanian

Plastic’s Processor Employers’ Association

| ASPA Plast

51 |

Protecting the environment

53 |

We are a small NGO in a small country.

Small countries within Europe would have no voice

individually but Europe does have a collective voice

that is listened to in global debate.

The diversity of different cultures achieving a consensus

on environmental issues is crucial, the environment is a

global concern; it knows no borders or boundaries.

Environmental issues cross all political divides. It is a

culture of dialogue, not of politics.

Blanche Weber

Director, Mouvement écologique asbl

Blanche Weber With colleagues from the Mouvement écologique asbl in Luxembourg

The Estonian Green Movement is

particularly interested in environmental

financing.

We are primarily concerned with

sustainable development within an

economic reality; nature conservation

is only one part of our debate. We are

concerned with the impact of broad

policies.

Energy fields, aspects of planning,

transport, trade and development are

the key environmental concerns at

the moment. For example in Tartu a

local park was going to be destroyed

to build a school and our campaign

had to incorporate media awareness,

public debate, finding an alternative

and acceptable site and the financial

arguments to make this site a reality.

Peep Mardiste

Member of the Board, Estonian Green

Movement | Eesti Roheline Liikumine

57 |

I woke up in Slovakia at 6.00 a.m. and walked up the mountain.

The mountains still had snow on the tops although there was

already a heat mist rising. I picked wild flowers and had

breakfast on the terrace of the small hotel.

In Slovakia, the bales of hay are gathered on cone-shaped

frames. They are the same shape as the mountains behind the

fields.

In each city we have driven through, we have noticed splashes

of colour on the outside walls of the apartment buildings. In

Riga, Tallin, Sofia, Bucharest, Nicosia, Stockholm, Dublin and

in Rome: It is as though someone has taken a European-sized

paint palette and given each city a few strokes of the brush.

We were in Paldiski today in Estonia. There was a young girl

walking towards us on crutches. She had broken her leg but it

was mending fast. The building she had come out of had been

given a splash of blue colour on a yellow background. Both

the building and the young girl seemed to suggest a healing

process to us.

DiaryDiary

We are delighted that the windmills are part of Paldiski.

Everyone feels they are an integral part of our town and

many people come to see them. We want to build a

culture of environmental tourism around the windmills in

the future. Not only are they useful and a model of clean

energy: we also feel great pride when we see them turning

in the wind.

Kaupo Kallas

Mayor of Paldiski

Paldiski is a story that is passionate for all of us in the Wind Power

Association of Estonia. It is one of our flagship projects; one that we all

believe in.

Paldiski had been a closed military town. It was associated with restrictions

and was virtually abandoned. The mayor and the town council were

trying to regenerate the town but their job was almost impossible. We

proposed to the mayor that windmills be installed as one of the town’s

regeneration projects and he supported the idea from the start.

Paldiski has been re-branded as a green town and wind power has been

one of the bridges in restoring vitality to this area.

The town is taking on a new lease of life. There have been new schemes

introduced to persuade young families to relocate to Paldiski such as

subsidised housing and, each time I come to Paldiski, I see new changes.

This area has one of the most beautiful coastlines in Estonia.

Jaan Tepp

Chairman, Estonian Wind Power Association

61 |

When you are standing on a bridge, it feels as

though you have come across a space that belongs

to everyone. You see a structure which connects

people but also allows them to reach out to

somewhere beyond. There is always a sense of

wonder in crossing a walkway created in the air.

Creating outside the box

Diary 63 |

The European Cultural capital scheme provides

a year-long dialogue for the arts, architecture,

city planning and urban regeneration in each

nominated European city. The networking of

European Cities through the Cultural Capital

programme is unrivalled. Theatre companies, art

galleries, architectural companies, opera companies,

symphony orchestras - all engaging with each

other as European cities and continuing to build

relationships long after each year has ended.

Spyros Mercouris

Honorary President

of The Network of European Cultural Capitals

65 |

I had seen clowns working in a hospital in Paris and had

thought how important it would be to have a similar

system in Finland. I had seen the children leaving their

illness behind and entering another world of magic and

joy.

When the clowns came to this hospital I was delighted

and wanted to give them every support. There is

something very special about walking past a ward

where a sick child, their parents and sometimes the

nurses too are all laughing together. Whether they

play an instrument or show their tricks or do double

acts with another clown, they are involving the child in

a new world, a world where illness is played with and

made fun of but never ignored.

Sometimes the clowns prepare the children for painful

treatment by giving them extra time. Time with the

clowns before surgery has proven to have direct effects

on the child in terms of reducing anxiety.

The clowns have an international language which is

very important when you are working with traumatised

children and parents who do not speak Finnish.

Even on this ward, there has never been a child too sick

to have a visit from the clowns.

Annika von Schantz

Unit Manager, Isolation Ward,

Helsinki Children’s Hospital

Lilli Sukula-Lindblom and Annika von Schantz

I love the gravity of our work. So much discipline is needed

to be able to be effective in what we do.

As clowns, we all see ourselves working with the healthy

part of the child. It can be particularly hard when a child

has a terminal illness.

Lilli Sukula-Lindblom

Executive Director of Sairaalaklovnit ry – Sjukhusclowner rf

| Hospital Clowns Finland

67 |

In addition to being the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of

Malta and a businessman, I am also the Chairman of the “Teatru Manoel”

here in Valetta. I see a natural bridge between business and theatre.

The most creative businesses have an aspect of theatrical presentation

to them and I certainly have to use all my business understanding and

experience to help me to run this theatre. My work for the theatre makes

me think creatively and ‘out of the box’ which is so essential to innovation

and development within industry. When I am thinking of how to advise

someone with a business idea or how to secure funding for a project, I

find I am often drawing on my experience with the theatre.

Wilfred Kenely

Chairman, Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise

My passion for art is part of who I am

now. The times when I am selecting

and purchasing art, the process is all

consuming. First I select perhaps two or

three pieces of work. Then I ask myself

if they are really the three works I want.

So I return to look at them again, but

often I return to my first choices. It is

as though that initial meeting with the

painting, that first look, was the one

I should trust. Perhaps it’s a result of

35 years experience of being open to

learning from artists.

Karlheinz Essl

Chairman of the Supervisory Board,

bauMax

Karlheinz Essl with Jürgen Messensee at SAMMLUNG ESSL KUNST DER GEGENWART

71 |

My professional life has crossed many bridges and the

transitions have not always been straightforward, but,

looking back, I can see a very clear line in my life based

on the accumulation of understanding and experience.

In my position as Secretary General of the CFDT in

France, I learned the importance of well researched

and articulated arguments. If you put yourself in an

exposed public position, you have to be ready to speak

confidently to everyone, whether it is the media, the

press, the employers or the workers. I also learned the

importance of self-control and the ability not to be

provoked by aggressive confrontation, whether that is

verbal or, in some cases, physical.

The creation of Vigeo three years ago was both a

personal and professional challenge. We are living

in a changing climate of business and employment,

and the company has been established to consider

and offer benchmark ratings to companies for their

corporate social responsibility. Everyone accepts that

an independent third-party analysis is essential to

accurately evaluate the extent to which a company is

actively taking social responsibility.

Nicole Notat

Chairman of Vigeo Group

73 |

Nicole Notat with employees of Vigeo

75 |

Employee at Pancyprian Co. of Bakers Ltd.

This is now the eleventh country on our

journey. We have met Slovakians and Polish

people working in the Czech Republic and we

have talked to a woman from Belarus who has

lived in the Czech Republic for five years.

We have met Hungarians working in Slovenia

and a man from Greece working in Cyprus. We

have met Italians working in France and we

have met Germans working in Poland. We have

met a Lithuanian working in Denmark and we

have met someone from Spain who had worked in

Portugal for ten years. We went to a bakery

in Cyprus and spoke to a young Indian man who

had been working in Cyprus for two years. He

was happy to be in Cyprus and to have found

employment there.

Diary

Looking for new paths in society

79 |

Now we are living the reality of Europe in Malta. We are

living with the impact of joining the European Union

and of course there are teething problems. We are

exposed to more competition. Many companies are

still trying to understand the systems and subsidies of

the European Union.

There is a new kind of monitoring too which in the

long term has to be good but initially is hard to get

used to.

Malta’s geographical location is unique. We are a

bridge to the Euro-Mediterranean countries, Libya,

Egypt and Tunisia.

We are now the smallest and most densely populated

country in the European Union.

I feel Maltese, European and Mediterranean.

Gabriella Pace

Head, Malta Business Bureau

83 |

I believe it is important for Europe to engage with public

opinion, to overcome its worries about enlargement and

to realise that it is already a success for countries like

Ireland in terms of economic return to the country. Any

review of the European Union’s policies on enlargement

should concentrate on the real achievements that can

already be seen.

One of the most pressing issues is the anticipation of

tomorrow’s market place. Some of the most crucial

discussions seem to be between a Europe looking out

and other countries looking in at what they feel Europe is

currently providing and what may need to develop

and change to keep the supply matched to changing

demands.

Michael O’Connell

Partner of M.J. Horgan & Sons

Chairman of the Triskel Arts Centre

It’s not easy to sacrifice self-interests towards something

more fragile and long term of which you don’t see the

immediate benefits. That takes time and a new way of

thinking. The temptation of course is to immediately satisfy

self-interest especially when you suddenly have the choice

to do so.

There is still a discrepancy between dreams and reality and

that discrepancy will not disappear overnight.

The most exciting concept for me as a Bulgarian at the

moment is one of a new kind of collective energy. No one

has the time or inclination to hate each other any more.

There is just too much to do to move forward. Europe is

offering a chance to Bulgaria to build something new, to

sacrifice national interests to a wider common objective.

Milena Minkova

Project Manager, Planet S.A.

85 |

Now the focus is on the crucial implementation of

anti-corruption reforms and there is a much clearer

understanding of accountability, which has been

prompted by civil society organisations.

The emphasis is on restoring trust.

Decentralisation and accountability are the most

important measures in building up trust. Now many

development agencies have specific anti-corruption

measures and recommendations. There is an increasing

emphasis on partnership in civil society, the private

sector, government and NGO’s.

When we became members of the EU and NATO, we

adopted new laws, but laws by themselves aren’t

enough. They have to be monitored and implemented.

That is the key challenge. I am convinced that

organisations like ours are crucial to a new culture

of transparency and accountability. Our main task is

to ask difficult questions, research and present our

arguments based on accurate and detailed findings.

We are welcomed because we are different. We are an

NGO, we are independent and we are small so we can

research and investigate quickly and efficiently.

Rytis Juozapavičius

Director of Transparency International

Rytis Juozapavičius with colleagues

87 |

Europe, as a continent, must work to

be an active and respected part of the

world. Organisations like the Danish

Industry Federation must try to take

a front seat amongst international

business federations and to be able

to take its share of the driving. It is an

extraordinary time for Europe.


Director General of the Confederation

of Danish Industries | Dansk Industri

89 |

Sister Madeline of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Apparition

We knocked on the door of the large house outside

which several Sri Lankan women were drinking tea

and talking quietly to each other. Sister Madeline

showed us around their home which is also a

shelter housing up to 30 female migrant workers

in crisis. The nuns have formed an NGO and in

addition to providing the women with somewhere to

live, they offer legal representation, medical

care and language support. Their compassion and

sense of humanity were inspirational.

Diary

Moving forward through

intercultural dialogue

93 |

In many ways it is difficult to live on a divided island like Cyprus.

If you ask me who I am, I say that I am a Turkish Cypriot. I never

want to isolate myself from being Cypriot.

I was invited to a conference on “Leadership and community

services” in the USA. Ironically, it was the first time I had sat next

to a Greek colleague for common discussion. That was two years

ago and we are still friends. I remember at the conference paying

attention to every word I said not to offend him. We had an

activity with the group. We went to a forest and were blindfolded.

You had to give your hand to someone who would help you over

a bridge. And I gave my hand to him and he kept my hand to help

him to get over the bridge, and at the end of the programme he

hugged me and we were both in tears.

At the end of the conference I learned from his friend that his

father had told him not to have anything to do with anyone who

was Turkish at the conference.

Last year I went to a conference on conflict held in Larnaca. The

working language of the conference was Greek: I was terrified

but I stood up and said that they were talking about conflict, but

they had forgotten that in conflict there are two sides. I told them

that my Greek friend had asked me to come and I had come to

learn and try to understand. And suddenly everybody wanted to

ask me a lot of questions.

It would be good to see some changes and to affect them and

to put in my own effort. One of my dreams is to see changes in

Cyprus. Things can be changed, but not tomorrow. I do not want

my children to grow up in conflict.

Dilem Koyluoglu

General Secretary of the Turkish-Cypriot branch

of the European Students’ Forum

95 |

Bulgaria is learning to mediate between the needs

of local economic and social institutions and the

wider European market. To achieve this it is investing

in strategic thinking and developing a strategy to

maximise the benefits of European Union accession.

Milena Minkova

Project Manager of Planet S.A.

97 |

I was a 24 year old lawyer when we first began to talk

about Europe.

We were an open-minded group of people who

would meet for reflection and debate. We were a small,

organised group of liberal thinkers.

I believe absolutely in a European constitution. Europe

needs an officially protected instrument.

The practice of different religions must not be a factor

in keeping people apart. We have to build bridges.

There will be no world peace without peace between

religions. My responsibility is to play my part in

encouraging religious dialogue to promote universal

peace.

In addition to being a Franciscan monk, I am an

honorary member of the Islamic Community of Lisbon.

That is a great honour for me. I also work with the

Jewish community and the Anglican Church.

Vítor Melícias

99 |

Vítor Melícias

I am a personal friend of the Imam of the mosque here in

Lisbon. We inaugurated the new sports stadium together

with our friends, the Rabbi of Lisbon, the Anglican bishop

and the Hindu and evangelical leaders. We all had our own

short prayers, no one asked why. It was accepted as an

important part of the opening of the new stadium.

A forum for civic dialogue is a forum for the dignity of each

person. The nicest dreams fall apart. History is like that.

There is no need to be frightened of changes in Europe.

Dreams are always followed by reality. Both are necessary

to move forward.

Vítor Melícias

President of the União das Misericórdias Portuguesas

We believe that God has put people into the world to

work towards a common good and a better society, using

whatever resources they have access to.

Karlheinz Essl


101 |

We sat for a few moments on a bench in

the square in Copenhagen opposite Hans Skov

Christensen’s office. I began a conversation

with the woman sitting next to me. Her

name was Asmaa Abdol-Hamid. She talked to

me about the need for a moderate Islamic

voice to be heard in Danish society. She

had recently hosted a television series

called Adam and Asmaa, which had been very

popular. She told us to close our eyes and

imagine the world without shared influences

and cultures. We agreed that the picture we

saw had very few colours within it.

Asmaa Abdol-Hamid, Television presenter

Diary

We bought cherries in Slovakia, Latvia and Poland. In Bulgaria Milena

bought all the cherries that remained so he packed up and went off in

his tractor, waving goodbye as he left.

Adapting agriculture

Diary 105 |

107 |

Ewa Smuk Stratenwerth

A party of school children has just arrived from a nearby

town. It is their first visit to a farm and they will spend the

day taking part in a day in our lives on a working organic

farm; they will help to milk the goats, they will make bread,

they will try something like candle making or bee keeping

and they will eat organic food all day! We introduce them to

concepts like solar energy and try to make it relevant to their

lives. There is often genuine surprise for some of the younger

children to realise that fruit and vegetables don’t come from

the supermarkets. Between April and October we have visits

from over 3000 Polish children.

Many of the European projects we work on encourage adult

education and inter-generational training. We run courses

here in Poland and the network now includes Poland,

Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary and Ireland. In Slovakia for

example the courses are focused towards the Roma

community, in Ireland towards the travelling community.

My philosophy has always been to start with the platform of

connections.

Ewa Smuk Stratenwerth

Farmer, Stowarzyszenie Ekologiczno-Kulturalne Ziarno

109 |

111 |

livestock to land. For example, now I cut my hedges

every other year. Hedges are now for me also about

providing a shelter for the animals and for berries and

birds. My grandfather would be horrified if he saw my

hedges now. He would cut his twice a year. That’s just

the way it was. There is no criticism. It is just the time

we are living in. For me now, this landscape without

trees and hedges and birds would have no soul even

though we could produce as much from the land as is

possible. But hedge management is a different kind of

hedge cutting. Without management of the hedges,

they would become more like trees and too open to

provide any shelter.

Dan Newman

Farmer, Member of the Farmers’ Union | NFU

and the Young Farmers

I work with the weather and with the light. They are my

variables and my key partners.

I am very lucky to have a network of support around

me. If I am ill, for example, I know that there is a network

of farmers who would step in. I go to a place at the top

of the hill overlooking the farm and there is nowhere

else in the world I would rather be.

I work closely with the Soil Association. They have

been very helpful. There have been many times that I

have called them for advice. I am also a member of the

National Union of Farmers.

I think British farmers have become more selective

in their questioning of legislation. There used to be a

fear of European agricultural legislation. Farmers were

sure it would always be the cause of new problems.

Now, there is a different kind of reality. Farmers feel

they have the right to question the exact meaning of

a piece of legislation, the criteria for its interpretation

and the methods of implementing and monitoring the

legislation.

Organic farming until fairly recently was seen as an

alternative life style and one that had little relevance to

a developing economic market. Now there is a much

greater awareness and demand for organic products

and organic farming is a more viable proposition.

We are able to meet this demand through subsidies

from the European Community. The subsidies are

towards looking after the land and have moved from

113 |

Two sheep dogs are faster

and more accurate than two

men. The sheep respond in a

different way to the dogs.

Dan Newman

Farmer

115 |

A moment from the drive through Lithuania

Campaigning for inclusion

119 |

My name is Virginia Carcedo Illera. I work on our European programme for fighting discrimination. I am blind and a woman so I already have two disadvantages.

Virginia Carcedo Illera

Employee at the Fundación ONCE

121 |

Finding employment for people with disabilities is the most crucial part of the Foundation’s work.

Being employed is one of the most important keys to successful integration into society. We

believe that adequate and specialised training for employment is a priority. Training for employers

is as important as for the disabled employees. We are sometimes talking about very simple actions

such as the lowering of kerbs or noise activators at traffic lights. We aim to convince employers

that social responsibility can be profitable and that there are long-term economic arguments for

employing people with disabilities. The Foundation creates approximately 5000 jobs annually. This

year employment has been found in the areas of banking, the service industry, insurance and

administration for example.

One of our most recent campaigns has been in relation to promoting accessible tourism.

Our voices as individual disabled people are silent but our voices as members of an organisation

have the power to change things.

Alberto Durán López

President of Fundación ONCE

Alberto Durán López

123 |

My name is Juan Carlos Martínez García.

I think things are improving in terms

of disability awareness and access. I

feel that disabled people used to be

practically hidden from society which

I no longer feel is the case in Spain. I

have my own car so I can get to and

from work but when it breaks down

or has to go to the garage I am really

stuck. I’m totally reliant on taxis. We

still don’t have enough buses with low

floors and although the new metro

stations are accessible, many of the

old ones are impossible. It’s not about

when you arrive somewhere if you

take public transport; it’s a question of

‘if ’ you arrive somewhere. Every journey

is an adventure and not a particularly

exciting one. Public transport for the

most part deprives me of my freedom.

Juan Carlos Martínez García

Employee at the Fundación ONCE

125 |

My name is Javier GómezMy passion is basketball

127 |

We were crossing the border and we were behind

two young men who were laughing and joking on

their day out to Austria. Only when we got

closer did I realise that one of them was

disabled. The sun was shining and the border

guards were smiling, and it was a moment when

Europe seemed suddenly full of possibilities.

Promoting workers’ rights

131 |

We have a plural trade union landscape in the

Netherlands, which I am part of and I believe is a

positive reality for the Netherlands.

I was one of six daughters so I have always been a

negotiator.

When I was growing up I saw my family as a collective,

so I went on to see people I care about as a collective,

as my extended family.

The trade union movement in Europe has a crucial

role as a vehicle for discussion about issues such as

migration and the changing economic networks that

are European rather than national. The movement

is a protector of human rights in relation to working

conditions and I would like to think that it is a model of

good practice.

Discrimination, lack of democracy and racism fuel me

and are part of my inspiration to change things and I

am proud to be part of a historical tradition that is

about emancipation, democracy and choice.

I get angry when the Dutch trade union movement

is accused of conservatism because it belittles the

real concerns. I believe the European trade union

fundamentally understands the importance of a

changing Europe. We are realists. We see that the

European landscape is changing at an extraordinary rate.

I see our movement as based on practical and informed

economic realism, with a healthy acknowledgement of

the rights of the worker.

Agnes Jongerius

Chairman, Trade Union Confederation | FNVAgnes Jongerius

133 |

I have worked for 15 years to establish a committee for civil

dialogue within our organisation in Greece. I saw it happen

in other European countries and realised that if we didn’t

take part, there would be important European dialogue

taking place that Greece would be excluded from. The

General Federation of Greek Workers of which I am President

has achieved much over the last 10 years that we should be

proud of as an organisation of civil society.

We need more women, more representation from our

migrant workers and more young people within our

federation. We are not alone in wanting change. Many of our

colleagues in other European countries are also expanding

and diversifying their membership. Organised democratic

debate needs to be able to identify with as many civil

society groups as possible.


President of the General Federation of Greek Workers


135 |

My origin is Albanian. My parents brought me to Athens

when I was nine years old. I am very proud to be working

for the Greek Federation of Workers, not just to help

minority workers like the Albanians but also to help all

workers in Greece to achieve a better quality of life for

themselves and for their children.

Tatiana Mehilli

Employee, General Federation of Greek Workers

137 |

I work for the Metal Workers Union. We organise

seminars to look at the regulation of working conditions;

how to work within new European legislation, work

behaviour and negotiating skills.

I came from Poland to Riese in Germany in 1966 and for

a long time we didn’t go back to Poland. Although my

identity and background are Polish, I was assimilated

into Germany and a German way of life and my Polish

roots were in the background. I remember that I learnt

to count in Polish and I still do.

After unification, there was a new willingness to learn

more about working conditions and express those

thoughts.

In any negotiating situation, you have to share the

responsibility so that people take ownership of the

problem and the solution. It is important not to be

possessive about an idea but to hand it over as an

opportunity.

When people lose their jobs, in their minds they lose

their existence.

Education is critical to the survival of trade unions.

Resources must go into training and raising awareness

of the trade union movement. Young people have to

understand the importance of a collective organised

body of thought within the work place. It is not about

self-interest, it is about a positive future with a balance

of power between employer and employee.

Maria Scholz

Secretary, IG Metall Bildungsstätte Berlin

Maria Scholz with colleagues at IG Metall Bildungsstätte Berlin

139 |

Innovation is crucial to Latvia’s long-term future.

Now we are more confident that our knowledge is

on the same level as our colleagues in Europe. There

are other implications for this too. For example, it is

important for foreigners and tourists to feel secure with

our medical system. And our doctors who are working

abroad are now part of a European recognition of

competence.

We need to be able to tell the patient that the treatment

they will receive is in accordance with European

guidelines.

I have always wanted to look at a bigger picture and a

strategy for health care. I have always been passionate

about the place of unions and associations which share

experience and understanding and work for a common

good. But I was a passionate surgeon too.

There came a point when I had to make a choice. I

could no longer be a neurosurgeon and also devote

myself to being a union leader. It was probably the

most difficult decision I have ever had to make. I chose

to represent the union and although I still work as a

consulting professor, I no longer operate.

But I think my professional credibility in my position as a

negotiator is crucial. My colleagues within the medical

profession trust me because I come from their world.

Valdis Keris

Chairman, Trade Union of Health and Social Care

Employees of Latvia

Valdis Keris and Aivas Aksenoks, Mayor of Riga

141 |

The Greek and Turkish Cypriot Trade Union movements

always kept communication open and tried to

cooperate. We started having joint meetings in 1975.

The Cyprus Working Confederation and the Turkish

Union Federation held regular meetings trying to

resolve humanitarian problems for both communities.

Michael Ioannou

Former General Secretary of the Cyprus Building Workers

Confederation

143 |

Michael Ioannou, Former General Secretary of the Cyprus Building Workers ConfederationZeki Hasan, Secretary General of Turk-Sen, Union of Turkish Cypriot building workers

145 |

Within the trade union movement in Slovenia we are

very concerned about the younger generation. At the

moment the private work environment in which young

people live is hostile towards young employees who

want to start a family and Slovenia has the lowest birth

rate in Europe. So, I have started several projects to raise

awareness amongst young employees of their rights

within the work place.

We have to have a public debate on whether it is normal

for employees to expect to have a family and what

can we do in collective agreements to help people to

reconcile work and private life. These are relatively new

issues for Slovenia.

A fair system of social security creates an environment

in which the entire social structure is safe, just as

much for the investor and for the business as for the

employee.

The most important part of any negotiation is absolute

honesty and patience. Even if you cannot achieve the

settlement people want, if you have been honest and

open throughout the course of the negotiations you

are trusted by all sides. You are in a position to be able

to re-open negotiations at a later stage because there is

a basis of trust there. We began discussion for example

about health insurance reform almost 10 months

ago and we are still waiting for the final negotiating

session.

Lučka Böhm

Executive secretary

of the Association of Free Trade Unions, Slovenia

147 |

Lučka Böhm

149 |

We are studying here at the University of Riga. We are

all medical students. I am Sri Lankan from London and I

am studying here for various reasons. Firstly, the quality

of teaching here at the university is very high. Secondly

the cost of living is still much lower than in London.

For example, we share a nice apartment here near the

university for one hundred euros a month. Riga is only

an hour and a cheap flight from home. I often go back

to London for the weekend.

My cousin studied medicine here and qualified with

a good degree. She is working as a doctor now in Sri

Lanka.

I know lots of students who have decided to come to

Latvia from London and other European cities to study,

not just in the medical department. It’s a really good

city for students.

Students living in Latvia

151 |

Within the European institutional set-up, the European

Economic and Social Committee fulfils a specific role:

it is the prime forum in which the organisations of civil

society in the European Union can have their views

represented and discussed.

With viewpoints sometimes diametrically opposed,

the Committee’s discussions often require tough

negotiations, involving not only the social partners, that

is to say, employers and employees, but also - and this

is the distinguishing feature of the EESC - other interest

groups in society, such as farmers’ organisations,

environmental bodies, consumer associations, disability

rights organisations and the professions.

Anne-Marie Sigmund

President of the European Economic and Social

Committee in Brussels

153 |

Building bridges

155 |

trade union federations will find the perfect recipe.

We can build on existing strengths but recognise the

identity of many new countries. For the Federation

the most important bridges still not constructed

are those between economic and social reality.

There are many social inequalities at every level in

both economic and social terms. One does not exist

without the other. Human rights is the fundamental

debate, every other debate follows on, whether it is

the environment, mobility, workers’ rights etc.


President of the

General Federation of Greek Workers

In my professional life, I think I am most proud of the

bridges the General Federation of Greek Workers has

made with our immigrant workers. The Federation

was involved in drawing up the first legal statute for

the Ministry of Labour. Most importantly, we began

by negotiating the transfer of migrant workers’ rights

from the Ministry of Justice to the Ministry of Labour.

Immigrant workers in Greece then had basic human

rights; legal protection, medical help and social

security. I am also proud that the Federation has

been part of a bridge of friendship between Greece

and Turkey. Throughout all the difficulties, the two

federations have always had a strong and close

relationship, able to discuss many common issues

and ideas.

There is never one single crucial time in Europe

but we are currently at a very important stage in

the construction of a new European model. I hope

a future generation of leaders within the European

157 |

I remember the struggle to bring the road sweepers into

our Union and give them decent conditions.

The people working in this area were the lowest paid public

workers. After a struggle, we got them decent working

conditions and pensions. Then we had to negotiate for

annual leave for them. People thought we were mad and

how could the towns be kept clean without someone

working seven days a week to clean them every day. But

we eventually negotiated five day weeks.

The first important role for the union was to help change

peoples’ attitudes to what could be expected from

workers, not just the employers but the government,

the councils and also the level of self expectation of the

employees. Road sweepers didn’t always believe they

deserved the same working conditions as people from

other professions.

Michael Ioannou

Former General Secretary of the Cyprus Building Workers

Confederation

159 |

I form part of the bridge between generations of the

Alberti family. I am here in Rome representing the older

generation and the younger members of the family are

in Benevento developing the company. I am the fifth

generation of the Alberti family to run Strega.

It is important to retain the uniqueness of the product. It is

our export negotiating tool.

Europe is no longer something you have to try to

understand. It is a fact.

Now it has to learn to embrace the future and communicate

that future.

To be a tradesman is to build bridges every day of your

life.

We made bridges with South America, Argentina, Mexico.

We followed Italian immigrants to North and South

America, to Brazil too.

Franco Alberti

Former Managing Director, Liquore Strega

161 |

163 |

We are in constant negotiation to raise salaries, because

with the free movement of workers across Europe, Latvian

doctors and nurses will have little option but to move

away from Latvia and the mass migration of doctors and

nurses will be a disaster.

Valdis Keris

Chairman, Trade Union

of Health and Social Care Employees of Latvia

165 |

France was playing against South Korea in the World Cup the

evening we arrived in Prague. A huge screen had been erected

in the old town square. Thousands of people were absorbed in

the game. In front of us some young South Korean boys were

dancing around the crowds. One stopped next to us and asked

the elderly French couple at our side if they were from France.

The couple smiled and asserted that yes they were French. The

young South Korean boy lowered his banner, bowed his head and

said “Enchanté, Madame, Monsieur”. Then he danced off into the

night.

After a long day driving, interviewing and photographing, we

went to walk on the beach outside Tallin.

A young couple from Belarus who had made a fire on the beach

invited us to come and join them and asked us what we were

doing. They spoke passionately and articulately about working

in Estonia and about the bridges they were making in their

lives. Their enthusiasm was as revitalising as the sea air.

“When you meet the person you want to spend the rest of your

life with, it doesn’t matter who you are, whether you are from

Belarus like us or Chechnya or Estonia or from your countries

of France and Ireland. We tell people we are Europeans and

then they understand that underneath our accents or the way we

do crazy things like make fires on the beach to dance around,

we are friends who love life and everything that is wonderful

about life.”

Caterina Gorbunova and Artyom Chernysoff

DiaryDiary

Reflecting on Europe

169 |

Civil society consists of individuals. We have never before had the

freedom in Europe we experience now. How can anyone underestimate

the fact for example that you can travel wherever you want now in

Europe.

It is crucial to sort out the constitution as quickly as possible. The

constitution has to be the basis from which to enlarge Europe.

Karlheinz Essl


Europe has to reflect on how to engage people in common

dialogue about the reconstruction of a new Europe and

bring people together to communicate the European

message, how to reinforce collaboration and democratise

Europe still more.

Maria Scholz

Secretary, IG Metall Bildungsstätte Berlin

171 |

I think of myself as a citizen with

convictions who has the opportunity

to work practically through an

organisation which works for the

benefit of the wider society.

I think being European means a

willingness to live with intercultural

independence.

Arnaud Zacharie

Director of the Centre National

de Coopération au Développement

173 |

I am an eternal optimist; doesn’t everyone want to do something

important with their life? But I hope that I am not naïve. I believe

that within Europe there is still a desire to reconcile a strong

performing economy with a regard for human rights and a

concern for the individual.

But I am worried this culture is becoming too fragile and I think

there is now a real urgency to remind people of the importance

of collective dialogue.

Nicole Notat

Chairman of Vigeo Group

175 |

I would like to see a Europe that is embracing a more pro-

nounced leadership, both within Europe and across the world,

and a Europe that can deliver better results to people, in terms of

employment and security.

I would like to see this happen as a result of people becoming

much more active in social, economic and political dialogue and

in lobbying for change. More of this kind of debate should act to

revitalise some of the political parties and in particular political

leadership. I remember when people were used to coming to

meetings/discussions and study groups were an accepted part

of decision making. Today this is not the case.

We have an economy and a society that is more and more

focused on the competence of the individual. The basis for

collective action has to be strengthened.

I see the evidence of successful partnerships across European

frontiers every day of my working life. To me the similarities of

Europe are much greater than the differences.

Kristina Persson

Deputy Governor of the Swedish Central Bank

Director of Freja Foundation

177 |

The first taxi driver demanded four times the rate we had

been told to pay. He tempted us with the reassurance of

his official status and stayed close to us as we read our

directions anxiously, already late for our meeting.

The second taxi driver seemed fair and showed us his meter

before arrival and on arrival, although the rate suddenly

doubled at the end.

The third driver, when he saw the note we offered, decided

to charge us a supplement for taking our bags, so that we

would not receive change.

The fourth taxi driver drove impatiently on the hard

shoulder for twelve kilometres overtaking the never-ending

stream of lorries but at least helping us to reach our

destination on time.

The fifth taxi driver averted the crisis of having left

my passport at the hotel by driving us back to the hotel

and then returning to the airport at a speed we tried not

to notice, windows down and Nat King Cole singing to us

reassuringly at full volume.

He drew up at the airport and played his imaginary violin

to say goodbye to us. There was no mention of a second fee

so we gave him what we had left. We will never listen to

‘smile, though your heart is breaking’ again without being

in Sofia.

Working towards the

Europe of tomorrow

Diary 179 |

I was born in 1945, just after the liberation of Denmark.

I didn’t learn about Europe in school. I learned about

the history of wars and conflicts, not about the

wonderful possibilities of a united European future. I

want a new generation of young people in Denmark to

see Denmark as a country of opportunities, a country

without limits, a country which is able to take care of its

citizens without any difficulty. Here at the confederation

of Danish Industries, we want young people to be able

to say ‘we Europeans want’, rather than the Danish

want or the French want. We want them to be part of a

Europe of projects and ideas.




Ireland

181 |

I walked through the high entrance gates of ‘Le Petit

Chateau’, the largest centre in Belgium for people seeking

asylum, whilst Arnaud Zacherie, the Belgian participant

in the project was having his photograph taken. I sat on

a bench in the courtyard near the children’s playground.

Three children from the Democratic Republic of Congo were

playing on the slide and two children from Iraq were

waiting for their turn. One of the children from the

Democratic Republic of Congo stepped back and pointed to

the slide. The youngest Iraqi child began to climb the

ladder. The two mothers smiled tentatively at each other.

DiaryDiary

Milena Minkova and Elena Hazarbassanova

The children of the late 1980s and 1990s have the first chance in Bulgaria

of establishing a new value system. The children of the 1950s and

1960s like me were full of confusion and unsure of which value system

to embrace or reject. Should they follow communism or capitalism?

Should they work towards personal self gain as a reaction to a system?

Now there is a possibility of choice, an open book. It is no longer about

the choice to go with a system or to reject a system.

Elena Hazarbassanova

Director, International Studies

New University of Bulgaria

185 |

We are a bilingual English/Hungarian state secondary school, members

of Generation Europe and with the European Union as a crucial part

of our curriculum. We have 330 students and many of them have

represented the school at many European events. They have traveled

to Brussels and exchanged views. We would never try to influence or

edit their opinions. Most of our students go on to further training and

education and spend time in other European countries but the vast

majority of them come back to use their education and experience in

Hungary.

Our students didn’t see their parents taking part in organised civil

society groups, it is something that the parents are learning from their

children.

We have our own branch of the Atlantic club to discuss issues around

security for example. Our last debate focused on the need for a common

European foreign policy.

Sándor P. Czuczor

Headmaster, Dual Language School in Balatonalmádi

187 |

Young people are the most powerful tool we have

to build European universal citizenship.

Vítor Melícias

President of União das Misericórdias Portuguesas

189 |

Our Committee is one of the key elements which bring

European politics and civil society together: we understand

our role of being a bridge between Europe and organised

civil society.

Anne-Marie Sigmund

President of the European Economic and Social Committee,

Brussels

191 |

The Newman family

I look around me and I am reminded that this countryside

was here when my grandfather was farming and will be

here if I have a grandson and he farms. I’m just a caretaker.

Yes, of course it’s a business. My family has to live. But it’s a

passion too.

Dan Newman

Farmer, Member of the National Farmers’ Union | NFU

193 |

There was an elderly Italian couple at the

boarding gate for Sofia in Milan airport. They

were on the same plane as we were. They seemed

excited and were looking through a photograph

album together. I wonder who they were meeting

and how long they were staying.

A moment in a Café in Stockholm

Diary

When your family is in good health and in employment, you feel as

though you have everything in the world.

Assunta D’Aronzo

Employee at the Liquore Strega

197 |

Tacklingglobalisation

199 |

Europe is an absolutely essential context for me in the field in which I work. Its

construction is a reality of globalisation. Small European countries on their own

cannot form an adequate response to global issues. Their strength comes from

their alliance with Europe. Within Europe, it is important to be part of a body

of people who can influence collectively. To be involved in debate between

superpowers, there has to be a European alliance based on a common foreign

policy.

It is important to remember that the concept of development is very young.

Arnaud Zacharie

Director, Centre National de Coopération au Développement

201 |

Freja Foundation

203 |

offering a new kind of dialogue on an international level

for people who weren’t part of this kind of discussion.

Through the project we try to take discussion about

important global issues to where people are; not in

boardrooms or offices but in theatres, museums, public

spaces where young people gather. We encourage the

people who come to these meetings, often their first

time in this type of forum, to speak and offer their point

of view with the security of knowing that they will be

listened to and that their opinion will matter.

We work mainly through personal, individual networks.

We employ young people here who have their own

networks and ways in to alternative discussion circuits

and we have a lot of contact with the ‘alternative’

academic world. Being a social-democrat and an

internationalist, of course I believe in Europe. We need

now to make Europe more clearly understood. We need

to be open, part of continual interaction with each

other, and we need people to see that globalisation is a

fact and part of life.

I am passionate about what I believe in and what I

do, and I look forward to spending more and more of

my time engaging with the issues that I believe are

important in life.

Kristina Persson

Deputy Governor of the Swedish Central Bank

Director of Freja Foundation

I hope that at this stage of my life I have an understanding

of inequality and of privilege rooted in my experience

through working for diverse organisations. When I

was 18, I chose to study economics because I had a

passion for social development and I believed even

then that I had to understand financial structures in

order to understand how to bring about social change.

It took me some time to understand that for change

to be sustainable, there also had to be a democratic

foundation.

I have always been interested in making connections

with other groups that have an agenda that looks at both

European and international issues. For example, in the

1970s I was involved with one of the first western trade

unions to support our trade union colleagues in South

Africa, who were very weak at the time and with few

resources. It was an important formative time for me.

It is crucial to motivate people to see their value as

a citizen and to see the importance of individual

contributions to society. We all have a responsibility

to understand the political, social and economic

framework within our own country. As Sweden grows in

social and economic strength, it will have the resources

to support other less-privileged countries. It was one of

my reasons for founding the Freja Foundation and for

205 |

Internationalism is a very important part of my job.

It is one of the most rewarding and stimulating

aspects of trade union life for me. It restores any

sense of lost perspective to compare your own

lot with colleagues from some countries outside

Europe.

When I meet international colleagues, particularly

from developing countries, I have a practical

realization of how important it is for the European

Trade Union movement to be part of an international

movement. I feel a sense of relief that the Trade

Union movement has a place at the centre of Europe

and is part of an international negotiating agenda.

It is a privilege to be part of an international

movement that protects the rights of individuals

who have less freedom and power.

Agnes Jongerius

Chairman, Trade Union Confederation | FNV

207 |

We have to develop the culture of European Trade Union federations

so that even small employers and employees will realise that global

issues and rights are being discussed which ultimately will affect

them. Environment and global security are issues of global relevance

and decisions must be taken by a fully representative body.

Global issues cannot be solved at a national level. Europe is the first

cooperative body that can offer a meaningful voice to international

debates.


President, General Federation of Greek Workers

209 |

The walls of the offices of the Centre National

de Coopération au Développement in Brussels

are surrounded by awareness-raising publicity

campaigns. The posters and flyers articulate

profound poverty, often through the faces and

actions of children.

‘Poverty is not as difficult when the sun is

shining’ are the words of one poster featuring

a young girl scavenging on a rubbish tip in

South America.

‘Would you walk fifteen kilometres to collect

water each day?’ is the question posed by

another campaign and the third image is of

three small malnourished boys with the words

‘hunger condemns two children out of three.

Why?’

Being aware of values

Diary 211 |

We cannot live in isolation. It is an obligation for

countries like Denmark to try not to dominate and to

be generous. How can you feel you are a success if your

neighbour has big problems and you are unable to

assist. When you have enough money to live happily

and securely, only then can you start to be involved in

the ongoing development of your nation. On my first

visit to Africa in 1974, I immediately learned that unless

you can feed your family, you have no power to help

the family next to you.




I look at certain countries outside Europe and I see a

violation of human rights in the work place and know

that this is not how I want to see the world economy

functioning. Together with our European colleagues,

we can promote economic growth and a well-trained

workforce without these violations.

I see Europe as a privileged entity in relation to working

conditions. We don’t have an HIV/Aids epidemic,

we have decent drinking water. Compared to many

countries outside Europe, we do look after our work

force. Many of the trade union achievements in recent

years have happened because of backing from other

European countries and it is important to remember

the extraordinary achievements of the European

Union.

Agnes Jongerius

Chairman, Trade Union Confederation | FNV

213 |

We began this journey around Europe on Tuesday, 2 May at 6.30

a.m. We ended it yesterday; Friday, 30 June at 11.30 p.m.

Over the last eight weeks we have travelled to each of the

25 Member State countries of Europe, which included Bulgaria

and Romania as the 26th and 27th accession countries.

We travelled by plane to Italy, Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania,

Spain, Malta, Cyprus, Greece and Finland.

We travelled by boat from Finland to Estonia and from France

to the United Kingdom. We took the night train from Poland to

Germany and from Denmark to Sweden. We hired a car in Estonia

and drove through Latvia, Lithuania and to Poland. We hired

a second car in the Czech Republic and drove through Hungary,

Slovakia, Slovenia and Austria. France, Luxembourg, Belgium

and the Netherlands were also journeys we made by car. Within

all these countries we took metros, trains, buses, coaches

and taxis.

60 days of extraordinary encounters. 60 days in which people

gave us their time and their interest in this project. 60

days in which we were convinced that Europe was important

to everyone we spoke to. 60 days in which people spoke with

pride of the bridges their organisations had built to bring

people together through collective discussion and shared

practical action.

We were struck by the strength of the human voice when it

represents an organised group of people. Opinions offered to

us were the results of employers having met employees; of

companies having met trade unions; of NGO’s encounters with

government bodies; of artists meeting industry representatives,

of company scientists meeting with regulatory bodies; of

farmers meeting with suppliers, of diverse religious leaders

sharing dialogue.

We had asked about Europe, about collective thinking and its

importance to European debate and people had been passionate

in their responses.

Penny Rae

Carl Cordonnier

DiaryDiary

With our sincere thanks:

Asmaa ABDOL-HAMIDTelevision presenterDenmark

Aivars AKSENOKSChairman | MayorRiga City CouncilLatvia

Franco ALBERTIFormer Managing DirectorLiquore Strega | Strega Alberti Benevento S.p.A.Italy

Gregoris ANTONIADES Civil Engineer (B.Eng)Site AgentJoannou & Paraskevaides Ltd.Cyprus

Lučka BÖHMExecutive secretary Association of Free Trade Unions Slovenia | ZSSSSlovenia

Roger BRIESCHVice-PresidentEuropean Economic and Social Committee in BrusselsBelgium

Virginia CARCEDO ILLERAEmployee Fundación ONCESpain

Sándor P. CZUCZORHeadmasterDual Language School in BalatonalmádiHungary

Dimitrios N. DIMITRIADISFirst Vice-PresidentNational Confederation of Hellenic Commerce | ESEE

Alberto DURÁN LÓPEZExecutive PresidentFundación ONCESpain

Karlheinz ESSLChairman of the Supervisory Board, bauMaxFounder of SAMMLUNG ESSL KUNST DER GEGENWARTAustria

Javier GÓMEZ Employee Fundación ONCESpain

Jiří GRUNDSales DirectorGRUND A.S.Czech Republic

Elena HAZARBASSANOVA DirectorInternational Studies, New University of BulgariaBulgaria

Michael IOANNOUFormer General Secretary Cyprus Building Workers ConfederationCyprus

Agnes JONGERIUSChairman Trade Union Confederation | FNVThe Netherlands

Rytis JUOZAPAVIČIUS DirectorTransparency InternationalLithuania

Kaupo KALLASMayor of PaldiskiPaldiski Town GovernmentEstonia

Wilfred KENELYChairmanTeatru ManoelChairmanMalta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise

Valdis KERISChairman Trade Union of Health and Social Care Employees of Latvia | LVSADALatvia

Ntinos KILIARIS General ManagerPancyprian C. o. of Bakers LTD.Cyprus

Dilem KOYLUOGLU Tutor/ School of Foreign Languages Mediterranean University of Cyprus andGeneral Secretary of the Turkish-Cypriot branch of the European Students’ ForumCyprus

Peep MARDISTE Member of the BoardEesti Roheline Liikumine – Estonian Green MovementEstonia

Juan Carlos MARTÍNEZ GARCÍAEmployee Fundación ONCESpain

Tatiana MEHILLI Employee General Federation of Greek WorkersGreece

Vítor MELÍCIASPresidentUnião das Misericórdias PortuguesasPortugal

Spyros MERCOURISHonorary Chairman The Network of European Cultural CapitalsGreece

Milena MINKOVAProject ManagerPlanet S.A.Bulgaria

Dan NEWMANFarmerFarmers’ Union | NFU and the Young FarmersUnited Kingdom

Ralph NEWMANFarmer United Kingdom

Nicole NOTATChairmanVigeo GroupFrance

Michael O’CONNELLPartnerM.J. Horgan & SonsChairman | Triskel Arts CentreIreland

Gabriella PACEHeadMalta Business BureauMalta

Kristina PERSSONDeputy GovernorSveriges RiksbankDirector Freja FoundationSweden

219 |

Christos POLYZOGOPOLOUSPresidentGeneral Federation of Greek WorkersGreece

Virgil POPESCUSole AdministratorAectra Agrochemicals S.A.Romania

Antonio SAVARESESales DirectorS.p.A Strega Alberti BeneventoItaly

Maria SCHOLZSecretary IG Metall Bildungsstätte BerlinGermany

Anne-Marie SIGMUNDPresidentEuropean Economic and Social Committee in BrusselsBelgium

Anca SIMONExecutive DirectorRomanian Plastic’s Processor Employers’ AssociationASPA PLASTRomania

Hans SKOV CHRISTENSEN Director General of the Confederation of Danish Industries | Dansk IndustriDenmark

Ewa SMUK STRATENWERTHFarmerStowarzyszenieEkologiczno-Kulturalne ZiarnoPoland

Vladimír SOTÁKChairman of the Board of Directors, C.E.O Železiarné PodbrezováSlovak Republic

Lilli SUKULA-LINDBLOM Executive DirectorSairaalaklovnit ry – Sjukhusclowner rfHospital Clowns Finland Finland

Jaan TEPPChairman Estonian Wind Power AssociationEstonia

Annika VON SCHANTZUnit ManagerIsolation Ward, Helsinki Children’s HospitalFinland

Blanche WEBERDirector Mouvement écologique asblLuxembourg

Arnaud ZACHARIEDirector Centre National de Coopération au DéveloppementBelgium

For Carl Cordonnier:Laurine Herreman

For Penny Rae:Susanna Malzacher

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is a consultative body which advises the European Union’s three major institutions – the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission. The EESC acts as a bridge between Europe and organised civil society through 317 Members who belong, notably, to socio-economic, professional and civic organisations in their home countries.

Commissioned by the European Economic and Social Committee 2006

Joint concept Penny Rae and Carl Cordonnier

Photographer: Carl Cordonnier | DailylifeWriter: Penny Rae

Design: EU-turn

Editing: European Economic and Social Committee

Printing: Imprimerie Fortemps

First published by The European Economic and Social CommitteeRue Belliard 99B – 1040 Brussels | Belgiumhttp://www.eesc.europa.eu

All rights reserved.

Picture of Carl Cordonnier, p. 217 by Laurine Herreman

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